Fish-scaling equipment



June 13, 1950 J. KRAFCZYK FISH scALING EQUIPMENT Filed April l0. 1946 Patented June 13, 1.950

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 1 Claim.

My invention relates to improvements in sh scaling equipment.

My object is to provide means for quickly and securely clamping a iish to a scaling board, and as quickly releasing it for reversing its position or upon completion of the scaling operation.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a perspective View of scaling equipment embodying my invention in its preferred form.

Figure 2 is an enlarged side elevation of the clamping portion of said equipment, showing the same in clamping relation to the tail f a fish, with dotted lines indicating the released position and with a portion of the board broken awal7 to disclose the releasing spring.

Like parts are identiied by the same reference characters in both views.

A scaling board I0 has a clamping plate II hinged thereto at I2 near one margin of the board. The plate II is normally held in an inclined raised position by a spring interposed between the board and plate. A coiled compression spring I3, seated in a socket I4 in the board I0, with its upper end bearing upon an intermediate portion of the plate, may be used for this purpose. The margin of the plate II distant from the hinge I2 is provided with a depending iish engaging member or jaw I5, preferably having a serrated lower edge I6, the teeth of which readily penetrate the tail of a fish when clamped thereto.

The plate I I is flanked on both sides by brackets I'I secured to the board at I8 and connected above the plate II by a pivot rod I9 upon which a clamp actuating member 20 is fixedly mounted. The member 20 has an operating handle 2| and an arcuate bearing surface 22 eccentric to its pivotal axis, and in bearing contact with the plate II to limit the upward movement of the latter under the urge of the spring I4. Normally the curved eccentric surface 22 has a relatively short radius in bearing contact with the plate I I, the eccentric occupying substantially the position in which it is shown in Figure 1. But when the handle EI is swung to the left from its Figure 1 position other radii of the member 20 are progressively brought into contact with the plate II, and if the tail of a sh has been interposed between the board Ill and the gripping jaw, it may be clamped upon the tail of a sh to securely hold the sh to the board during a scaling operation. By swinging the handle 2l in the opposite direction, the ish can be released, readjusted, and again clamped pending removal of the scales from another surface. It will be noted that whenever the handle is swung in one direction to present a shorter radius of the eccentric to the plate II, the latter will be lifted by the spring and will follow the eccentric in a continuous bearing contact therewith. Therefore sh may be quickly scaled and other fish substituted and securely held without any further attention, the operator being able to give his entire attention to the scale removing tool.

I claim: The combination with a iish scaling board of sufficient length to receive a iish to be scaled, said board providing fixed support for such fish, of a pair of ears upstanding adjacent one end of the board and xedly connected therewith, a clamping member disposed between the ears and extending longitudinally of the board, said member having a hinge connecting it with the end of the board nearest the ears, the free end of said member being vertically movable respecting the board, and an intermediate portion of such member being vertically movable between the ears, a compression spring conned between the board and the member, one of which has a recess receiving said spring and from which said spring projects to engage the other, said spring biasing said member upwardly upon its hinge, a pintle extending transversely above said member between said ears, an eccentric pivoted upon the pintle and bearing upon said member and provided with a radially projecting handle for its operation, said member being provided at its free end with serrations comprising teeth for clamping engagement with a iish extending away from said member along said board and supported on the board.

JOHN KRAFCZYK.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record 1n the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 435,887 Ellithorp Sept. 2, 1890 586,359 Holt July 13, 1897 926,582 Meredith June 29, 1909 1,259,109 Kugler et al. Mar. 12, 1918 2,390,997 Fuller Dec. 18, 1945 

